1. 3 Research Design Formulation
Afjal Hossain, Assistant Professor

2. Research Design: Definition
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project.
It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure or solve marketing research problems.

3. A Classification of Marketing Research Designs
Fig. 3.1
Research Design
Conclusive Research Design
Exploratory Research Design
Descriptive Research
Causal Research
Cross-Sectional Design
Longitudinal Design
Single Cross-Sectional Design
Multiple Cross-Sectional Design

4. Exploratory & Conclusive Research Differences
Table 3.1
Exploratory
Conclusive
Objective:
Characteristics:
Findings /Results:
Outcome:
To provide insights and understanding.
Information needed is defined only loosely. Research process is flexible and unstructured. Sample is small and non-representative. Analysis of primary data is qualitative.
Tentative.
Generally followed by further exploratory or conclusive research.
To test specific hypotheses and examine relationships.
Information needed is clearly defined. Research process is formal and structured. Sample is large and representative. Data analysis is quantitative.
Conclusive.
Findings used as input into decision making.

5. A Comparison of Basic Research Designs
Table 3.2
Exploratory
Descriptive
Causal
Objective:
Characteristics:
Methods:
Discovery of ideas and insights
Flexible, versatile
Often the front end of total research design
Expert surveys
Pilot surveys
Secondary data
Qualitative research
Describe market characteristics or functions
Marked by the prior formulation of specific hypotheses
Preplanned and structured design
Secondary data
Surveys
Panels
Observation and other data
Determine cause and effect relationships
Manipulation of one or more independent variables
Control of other mediating variables
Experiments

6. Uses of Exploratory Research
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypotheses
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights for developing an approach to the problem
Establish priorities for further research

7. Methods of Exploratory Research
Survey of experts (discussed in Ch. 2)
Pilot surveys (discussed in Chapter 2)
Secondary data analyzed in a qualitative way (discussed in Chapter 4)
Qualitative research (discussed in Ch. 5)

8. Use of Descriptive Research
To describe the characteristics of relevant groups, such as consumers, salespeople, organizations, or market areas.
To estimate the percentage of units in a specified population exhibiting a certain behavior.
To determine the perceptions of product characteristics.
To determine the degree to which marketing variables are associated.
To make specific predictions

9. Methods of Descriptive Research
Secondary data analyzed in a quantitative as opposed to a qualitative manner (discussed in Chapter 4)
Surveys (Chapter 6)
Panels (Chapters 4 and 6)
Observational and other data (Chapter 6)

10. Cross-sectional Designs
Involve the collection of information from any given sample of population elements only once.
In single cross-sectional designs, there is only one sample of respondents and information is obtained from this sample only once.
In multiple cross-sectional designs, there are two or more samples of respondents, and information from each sample is obtained only once. Often, information from different samples is obtained at different times.
Cohort analysis consists of a series of surveys conducted at appropriate time intervals, where the cohort serves as the basic unit of analysis. A cohort is a group of respondents who experience the same event within the same time interval.

11. Consumption of Various Soft Drinks by Various Age Cohorts
Table 3.3
Percentage consuming on a typical day
Age
1950
1960
1969
1979
8-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50+
52.9
45.2
33.9
23.2
18.1
62.6
60.7
46.6
40.8
28.8 C1
73.2
76.0
67.7
58.6
50.0 C2
81.0
75.8
71.4
67.8
51.9 C3 C8 C7 C6 C5 C4
C1: cohort born prior to 1900
C2: cohort born
C3: cohort born
C4: cohort born
C5: cohort born
C6: cohort born
C7: cohort born
C8: cohort born

12. Longitudinal Designs
A fixed sample (or samples) of population elements is measured repeatedly on the same variables
A longitudinal design differs from a cross-sectional design in that the sample or samples remain the same over time

13. Cross-sectional vs. Longitudinal
Figure 3.6 Cross Sectional vs. Longitudinal Designs
Sample Surveyed at T1
Same Sample also Surveyed at T2 T1 T2
Cross- Sectional Design
Longitudinal Design
Time

14. Cross-Sectional Design
Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs
Table 3.4
Evaluation Criteria
Cross-Sectional Design
Longitudinal Design
Detecting Change
Large amount of data collection
Accuracy
Representative Sampling
Response bias - + + -
Note: A “+” indicates a relative advantage over the other design, whereas a “-” indicates a relative disadvantage.

15. Uses of Casual Research
To understand which variables are the cause (independent variables) and which variables are the effect (dependent variables) of a phenomenon
To determine the nature of the relationship between the causal variables and the effect to be predicted
METHOD: Experiments

16. Figure 3.8. Tasks Involved In a Research Design
Define the Information Needed
Design the Exploratory, Descriptive, and/or Causal Phases of the Research
Specify the Measurement and Scaling Procedures
Construct a Questionnaire
Specify the Sampling Process and the Sample Size
Develop a Plan of Data Analysis
Figure 3.8. Tasks Involved In a Research Design

17. Marketing Research Proposal
Executive Summary
Background
Problem Definition/Objectives of the Research
Approach to the Problem
Research Design
Fieldwork/Data Collection
Data Analysis
Reporting
Cost and Time
Appendices